Pickett BOE Approves Proposed Budget For Commission To Consider

The Pickett County Board of Education will send a proposed budget to the county commission to consider that includes raises for employees.

Director of Schools Diane Elder said the next fiscal year budget includes a $2,000 raise for teachers and a three percent raise for non-licensed staff.

“We feel like the teachers that have stuck with us deserve as much as the beginning teachers do,” Elder said. “It is hard to retain teachers. We compete with Putnam County and Overton County. We also compete with Kentucky and York Institute.”

Elder said the state board increased base salary for teachers from $38,000 to $40,000. Elder said she thought it was only fair to give all teachers in the district that $2,000, as well.

The budget that will be presented to the county commission will include a $200,000 deficit, according to Elder. Estimated expenditures in the proposed budget is $6.6 million.

“Some of the grants we are not getting,” Elder said. “That is a concern. Overall, I guess we are afraid we’re going to lose some students, and if we lose students, we are going to lose the revenue that comes with them.”

Elder said no new positions are included in the proposed budget. Elder said a three percent raise for other staff is a normal increase whenever teachers get a bump. Elder said 41 non-teacher staff currently work for Pickett County Schools.

Elder said the spending plan will head to the county budget committee this week. It will also need to be approved once more by the Board of Education.